R50/53 The “Clunk”
#26
02-22-2020, 07:13 AM
There is no more clunk!!!! I was actually scared when I put the wheels back on and lowered it to the ground. If I drove it and still had the clunk, I may have cried. However it drove like the little monster it is, with no clunk on the bumps. The extra hp from the pulley and the sound of the supercharger had me smiling and laughing all around my neighborhood loop. I got back and did the ubiquitous happy dance in the garage!!! I might burn a tank of gas on the blue ridge parkway tomorrow, just to celebrate.
#27
02-22-2020, 08:02 AM
Thank You for this. Go awhile there i was getting the same think front right side. Finally replaced the control arm bushing and while in there the ball joints were out. So replaced inner and outer as well.
now I’m getting a mild clunk on the left side now.
so maybe it’s the sway bar bushing too.
now I’m getting a mild clunk on the left side now.
so maybe it’s the sway bar bushing too.
#29
02-22-2020, 12:11 PM
#30
02-22-2020, 02:00 PM
I could barely replicate the sound by rocking it back and forth with weight on the wheels. I just put it up on ramps and had a friend rock it side to side while I felt around. When I held onto the sway bar, the sound would stop. The old bushings don’t really look worn, but the bar was moving around. When I called a shop just to see how much it was to replace two small bushings, they said $650! And yes, you can do it with out dropping the sub frame. Yet I wouldn’t recommend it, I was being stubborn. If you haven’t done the lower control arms, sway bar links, and ball joints, just drop the frame and do them all in one shot. I just went the long way around. All told though, I’m super happy with the results. Not only is the ride clunk free, it handles like a monster!
#32
02-22-2020, 07:45 PM
#33
02-22-2020, 08:04 PM
Didn’t mean to hijack this thread.
my cars slammed on h&r coil overs. Might do an adjustable link ends
#34
02-23-2020, 04:50 AM
Once you have the car up and wheels off. Disconnect the sway bar links
Take the power steering reservoir free from it bracket
and push it down past the heat shield slightly.
Remove the skid plate.
Remove the power steering fan.
Unbolt the 4 lower engine mount bolts.
disconnect the steering column link. One 13mm bolt.
Remove the 6 subframe bolts at the rear.
then there are 1 on each side near the lca.
Last there is 1 large bolt on each side near the wheel
wells.
At this point the you can pull the subframe down a bit. It’s still attached to the front, so it will not fall. I took a small piece of 2x4 and placed it flat between the rear brackets and the body to hold it enough. Like I read in another post, from here it’s just 4 18mm bolts......
I started with the drivers side because you have less clearance due to the brake lines. Double wrenching a ratcheting 18mm wrench is critical for this. Those bolts are on really tight. I ended up removing the front bolts on both side and loosening the rear ones as far as I could, but don’t take them out because they hold the lca’s in as well. Once I had the brackets loose enough, I slid the old bushings out toward the sides of the car, and the new ones back in. I found getting the new ones in to be a pain, but I was doing this after work and pretty worn out at this point. Once they go in, just reverse the steps. One small cut from a wrench slipping, and 3 1/2 hours later I was done. At that point I did the reduced pulley, which was another story in its self. After it was on, I very nervously backed out of the garage. If I drove out and heard that clunk, I may have cried, but it was gone and I was doing laps around the neighborhood. And a happy dance when I got back lol.
Take the power steering reservoir free from it bracket
and push it down past the heat shield slightly.
Remove the skid plate.
Remove the power steering fan.
Unbolt the 4 lower engine mount bolts.
disconnect the steering column link. One 13mm bolt.
Remove the 6 subframe bolts at the rear.
then there are 1 on each side near the lca.
Last there is 1 large bolt on each side near the wheel
wells.
At this point the you can pull the subframe down a bit. It’s still attached to the front, so it will not fall. I took a small piece of 2x4 and placed it flat between the rear brackets and the body to hold it enough. Like I read in another post, from here it’s just 4 18mm bolts......
I started with the drivers side because you have less clearance due to the brake lines. Double wrenching a ratcheting 18mm wrench is critical for this. Those bolts are on really tight. I ended up removing the front bolts on both side and loosening the rear ones as far as I could, but don’t take them out because they hold the lca’s in as well. Once I had the brackets loose enough, I slid the old bushings out toward the sides of the car, and the new ones back in. I found getting the new ones in to be a pain, but I was doing this after work and pretty worn out at this point. Once they go in, just reverse the steps. One small cut from a wrench slipping, and 3 1/2 hours later I was done. At that point I did the reduced pulley, which was another story in its self. After it was on, I very nervously backed out of the garage. If I drove out and heard that clunk, I may have cried, but it was gone and I was doing laps around the neighborhood. And a happy dance when I got back lol.
#35
02-23-2020, 11:00 AM
Once you have the car up and wheels off. Disconnect the sway bar links
Take the power steering reservoir free from it bracket
and push it down past the heat shield slightly.
Remove the skid plate.
Remove the power steering fan.
Unbolt the 4 lower engine mount bolts.
disconnect the steering column link. One 13mm bolt.
Remove the 6 subframe bolts at the rear.
then there are 1 on each side near the lca.
Last there is 1 large bolt on each side near the wheel
wells.
At this point the you can pull the subframe down a bit. It’s still attached to the front, so it will not fall. I took a small piece of 2x4 and placed it flat between the rear brackets and the body to hold it enough. Like I read in another post, from here it’s just 4 18mm bolts......
I started with the drivers side because you have less clearance due to the brake lines. Double wrenching a ratcheting 18mm wrench is critical for this. Those bolts are on really tight. I ended up removing the front bolts on both side and loosening the rear ones as far as I could, but don’t take them out because they hold the lca’s in as well. Once I had the brackets loose enough, I slid the old bushings out toward the sides of the car, and the new ones back in. I found getting the new ones in to be a pain, but I was doing this after work and pretty worn out at this point. Once they go in, just reverse the steps. One small cut from a wrench slipping, and 3 1/2 hours later I was done. At that point I did the reduced pulley, which was another story in its self. After it was on, I very nervously backed out of the garage. If I drove out and heard that clunk, I may have cried, but it was gone and I was doing laps around the neighborhood. And a happy dance when I got back lol.
Take the power steering reservoir free from it bracket
and push it down past the heat shield slightly.
Remove the skid plate.
Remove the power steering fan.
Unbolt the 4 lower engine mount bolts.
disconnect the steering column link. One 13mm bolt.
Remove the 6 subframe bolts at the rear.
then there are 1 on each side near the lca.
Last there is 1 large bolt on each side near the wheel
wells.
At this point the you can pull the subframe down a bit. It’s still attached to the front, so it will not fall. I took a small piece of 2x4 and placed it flat between the rear brackets and the body to hold it enough. Like I read in another post, from here it’s just 4 18mm bolts......
I started with the drivers side because you have less clearance due to the brake lines. Double wrenching a ratcheting 18mm wrench is critical for this. Those bolts are on really tight. I ended up removing the front bolts on both side and loosening the rear ones as far as I could, but don’t take them out because they hold the lca’s in as well. Once I had the brackets loose enough, I slid the old bushings out toward the sides of the car, and the new ones back in. I found getting the new ones in to be a pain, but I was doing this after work and pretty worn out at this point. Once they go in, just reverse the steps. One small cut from a wrench slipping, and 3 1/2 hours later I was done. At that point I did the reduced pulley, which was another story in its self. After it was on, I very nervously backed out of the garage. If I drove out and heard that clunk, I may have cried, but it was gone and I was doing laps around the neighborhood. And a happy dance when I got back lol.
#37
02-23-2020, 11:27 AM
#41
01-19-2021, 11:39 AM
Thanks for this, it saved me a ton of time! I was chasing down a suspension knock, even replaced the strut mounts, and finally saw this and disconnected the sway bar and no more knock. Now I have it narrowed down to bushings or end links!
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ssoliman (01-19-2021)
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